Sol‐Gel and Porous Glass‐Based Silica Monoliths with Hierarchical Pore Structure for Solid‐Liquid Catalysis

Abstract

Abstract This work draws attention to both prospects and challenges for silica monoliths in solid‐liquid catalysis at ultrahigh efficiency. The fundamental advantages of silica monoliths as support structure over particulate fixed beds and organic‐polymer monoliths are illustrated as well as recent applications as flow‐through microreactors for the production of fine chemicals. Preparation routes to sol‐gel and porous glass‐based silica monoliths featuring a hierarchical pore structure are described and their potential use as short‐contact‐time reactors is highlighted together with a view on the multiscale characterization and their rational design by establishing quantitative synthesis‐morphology‐transport relationships.